Hub and handle assemblies are used with valves to control the amount of water discharged from a faucet. Hub and handle assemblies typically include at least an escutcheon to provide a finished appearance to the faucet installation, a handle, and a fastener to attach the handle to the valve. Other configurations have even more parts. Unfortunately, more parts translates directly into higher inventory cost and labor cost for assembly.
The present invention overcomes this disadvantageous and others by providing a two piece hub and handle. According to the present invention, a two piece hub and handle assembly comprises a handle having a plurality of flexible fingers and a hub having a bearing surface for engaging the flexible fingers. Each flexible finger includes a lug and the hub includes a lug-engaging surface. The handle includes a grip portion and a tubular portion depending from the grip portion, and the tubular portion includes the plurality of flexible fingers.
According to one aspect of the invention, the handle includes a first bearing surface and the hub includes a second bearing surface, with the first bearing surface abutting the second bearing surface to limit axial movement of the handle relative to the hub. The handle includes a plurality of lugs and the hub includes a third bearing surface, the plurality of lugs engaging the third bearing surface to limit axial movement of the handle relative to the hub.
The handle further includes a plurality of splines for engaging a valve and the hub includes means for engaging an end body. When the splines are fully engaged with the valve, the hub is fully engaged with the end body.
Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following portion of this specification and from the accompanying drawings that illustrate a presently preferred embodiment incorporating the principles of the invention.